Going Sustainable with Style: Turning Uniforms into New Creations
Written by Kevan Singh
During the final week of Go Green SG 2024, The Circular Classroom (TCC), a social enterprise dedicated to reducing textile waste in schools, organised the “Circularity in Action: School Uniforms for a Greener Singapore” initiative, which included a hands-on uniform upcycling workshop at the National Junior College (NJC).
TCC’s co-founders, Leonie Nagarajan and Zinobia Tinwala, started the workshop with a presentation to set the scene about why it was important to have a circular economy. They touched on the problem of school uniforms’ short-lived lifespans and wastage, which is especially noticeable right after student graduation. Students then participated in a textile waste quiz to widen their knowledge of the issue. For example, students learnt that Singapore generated 284,000 tonnes of textile waste in 2022 alone!
Students then upcycled old uniforms donated by NJC alumni into pouches. The TCC team supplied crafting materials to the students and carefully guided them through the upcycling process. Students intently cut, iron, and sewed the donated uniforms to create their very own pouches.
“[Students] learn about sustainability, but they don’t know how to live sustainably”, Zinobia said, sharing why she thought such workshops were important.
Encouraging circularity through partnerships
The “Circularity in Action: School Uniforms for a Greener Singapore” initiative has been spreading the word about itself, with primary and secondary schools joining in as well. For example, at Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) Primary, TCC and the Parent Support Group engaged close to 40 students and parents for a parent-student bonding workshop. Pre-loved ACS uniforms were repurposed into hand-sewn, fun-sized owls.
In addition, TCC partnered with Science teachers, students and the Parent Support Group of River Valley Primary School (RVPS) to develop recess activities about the SG Green Plan, sustainable textiles and school uniforms and organised a uniform donation drive.
TCC also collaborated with Tampines Meridian Junior College (TMJC) on a three-week Values-In-Action programme, which saw 50 TMJC students upcycle pre-loved school uniforms into tote bags as a gift for visitors, alumni and college award recipients.
The activities promoted sustainability and brought together participants in the spirit of collective action. “You need school leaders who are interested in exploring experiential learning opportunities for their students” Leonie shared, as she expressed her appreciation for the school leaders who encouraged such partnerships.
Using mobile exhibitions to inspire change
As they go school to school, TCC’s initiative is accompanied by a mobile exhibition, conceptualised by TCC and designed by students of ITE (Institute of Technical Education) Central, highlighting the lifecycle of school uniforms, from the extraction of raw materials to production, transportation, and distribution.
The exhibition shows the carbon footprint generated by a school uniform during its life cycle and how to offset the emissions generated. One of the methods to reduce its carbon footprint? You guessed, it - repurposing uniforms.
Along with other initiatives, TCC looks positively into the future with aims to collect 10,000 used uniforms, and a target to partner with at least 24 schools this year. By working together, we can move towards a cleaner and greener Singapore!